Tag Archives: essay

“Try Transit Week” Contest Winner … ME :P

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DASH ‘Try Transit Week’ Contest Winner: Congratulations to Aileen Marshall!

From Dasbush.com:

Aileen’s winning entry to the question, “Why Should People Try Transit” was:

The obvious answer: It saves money, energy, the environment, and prevents backups on highways.
For me though transit is part of my lifestyle. Born and raised in Germany I did not even have a car! Public transportation was everywhere.
It’s stress-free. Finally you have time to read that book that has been on your table for weeks, or read the paper every morning in peace, or even take a cat nap.
Last but not least: It’s fun! Look out of the window and day-dream while listening to your favorite music … when have you done that last? Or chat with other passengers … that tends to happen a lot, especially when there is something unexpected going on.

Aileen won two tickets to the Potomac Riverboat Company.

DASH received many great entries! Thank you to everyone for your participation in the contest and Try Transit Week!

Of Grief and Happiness

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Today, during my lunch break, I read two more essays from the book “This I Believe II” … personal philosophies of remarkable men and women; famous and normal alike. The two essays I read were, as the headline gives away, about grief and happiness, which are two emotions I currently struggle with. As some of you might now, I am going through a difficult personal situation, so my brain and emotions and everything else that belongs to a human body is a mess.

The first essay, by Wayne Coyne, is called “Creating Our Own Happiness”. How fitting since I have been told that I cannot let one single person define my life’s happiness. Happiness, I came to realize when I read the essay, can be simple, small things like the a smile from a stranger, or telling somebody you like their dress, purse, or even tell them they are cute. It has always made me happy to give to other people. But I also realized that happiness, even for a brief moment, is the warm wind caressing your skin when taking your lunch-break walk (which I did today). Stretching your muscles and feeling your body … feeling that you are alive. I guess there is a lot of happiness in every day, and we need to CHOSE to see it. We can make our own happiness, even if it is just a tiny glowing spot in the darkness that seems to consume my heard, mind, and soul. What I took away from this essay is that I want to find, and consciously recognize, one thing per day that makes me happy, even if it just for a second … and I look forward to that moment.

The second essay, by a nurse, spoke about grief. About how it is human, about how it can be … no, IS healthy, and that we have the right to grief, each of us in our own way. I grieve because I am about to lose the person that means the most to me in my life. My beloved husband, friend, partner, teammate, maybe even soulmate. And I grieve, and cry, and weep, although it is partly, if not totally, my fault that I lost him. But I still have the right to grieve. Some days the feeling is overwhelming, a darkness that slowly consumes me and kills every part of me, and it makes me feel as if I am slowly dying. I miss him, I love him, and I grieve for what I have lost, for what I have destroyed.

But maybe, in an hour, or in two, I encounter that little piece of happiness that waits for each of us every day … if we chose to let it touch our hearts. You never know what’s around the corner. And I know that for just this moment I will be alright. That I will survive, and live, and that life can be what I want it to be … I just wish it could be with my husband. But I believe that each of us has a path in life, and although I don’t know what it is, I believe it is there. Maybe the little moments of happiness can lead me down the right path.

Yours in grief and happiness,
Aileen

How to write (another) scholarship-winning essay

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Well, this one is a few months old … this student stipend was given out by the SLA Business & Finance Division in March to attend the 2011 SLA Annual Conference in Philly, which I truly enjoyed. So, after everything is said and done, here is the essay that seemed to have impressed the scholarship committee :P

What skills must the new information professional possess?
Aileen Marshall, 2011

After graduating in May this year, it is my goal to work in the field of business/competitive intelligence. It is thanks to Dr. Kendra Albright, instructor for business librarianship at USC, that I became interested in this field. Since taking her class she has become my mentor, and I enjoy discussing current and future issues of business librarianship with her. This semester I am helping her develop her next class, which will focus on competitive intelligence and business research. The class will not only introduce appropriate research methods and resources but will also discuss the skills that a business librarian should possess in order to excel in their work and be an asset to any company or organization.
There are, of course, the obvious skills: ability to conduct reference interviews, to choose the most appropriate resource and search strategy, to compile the information into the end-result. a
But I think that there is a skill set that, especially in light of the budget cuts, is becoming more and more important to be Future Ready: Customer service, and everything that this term incorporates. Information professionals are service providers, no matter what environment they work in. It is important to be approachable: smile at your clients, and give them the feeling that they and their needs are important. They have to be comfortable in order to open up and ask for information, and more importantly give enough details for you to understand what they really want. During the reference interview make sure that you listen well and not simply assume you know what the client wants. Engage him or her, make them part of the search process, if they are waiting for a result. If you are working on a more complex research task, it is important not only to consult the usual sources (company web sites, databases, government agencies such as the SEC) but also more non-traditional sources such as open-source information and social media. The latter has become more and more important for company research, and used properly it can be a valuable tool. I mention this because of the most important skills information professionals can and should possess is open-mindedness. Don’t get stuck in your ways. Value trusted sources but don’t be afraid to branch out: Be creative!
Another skill I believe to be one of the most important ones is the ability and willingness to advocate for our profession. Don’t let anybody take you for granted, or worse, tell you that librarians and information professionals are obsolete and that everything can be googled nowadays. By involving your clients in your research they will learn that what we do is not nearly as simple as some people make it out to be. Make it your mission to teach something every day, whether it is telling a client about a great resource, about the internet and the difference between what they see and the deep web, or about the astronomical amount of information that is out there. Let them know that you are the person that sifts through, compiles, indexes, and makes it available to staff and clients in a clean, concise format.
Show passion for what you do. It is easy if you love what you do and if you are proud to be an information professional, a librarian. I know I certainly am.

How to write a winning scholarship essay

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Today I was notified that I was selected for the 2010 Catherine A. Jones Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by IOP Publishing, and awarded by the DC Chapter of the Special Library Association (SLA). Although I do not consider myself an extraordinary writer, I am posting my essay so it may help others who are applying for a scholarship and need an idea on what an essay should look like.

Statement of Interest

Aileen Marshall

Submitted for the 2010 DC/SLA Scholarship

June 2010

Three months after moving to the United States in February 2007 from Germany, I started volunteering at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Fredericksburg, VA. Shortly after, I completed their training to become a reference assistant. I became increasingly interesting in being a librarian, and although I already hold a Master’s degree from the Westfaelische Wilhelms-University in Muenster, Germany, I decided to go back to school once again. In May 2009 I enrolled as a distance education student at the University of South Carolina (USC) to pursue my master’s degree in Library and Information Science. With only four classes left, I am maintaining my GPA of 4.0, and I strive to finish the program as one of the top students and become a leading within the library community.

After graduating in May 2011, it is my goal to work in the field of information analysis and business intelligence. I have been taking classes on business and government information resources as well as special libraries. They provide me with the theoretical knowledge I need, and the practice that helps to sharpen my research skills and improve my knowledge of the best sources available for a particular task, both in print and electronic format. I have also learned how to manage a special library, how to prepare budgets, how to develop marketing strategies, how to develop, implement and eventually evaluate library services. In addition to my coursework I constantly look for opportunities to extend my knowledge and experience.

In December 2008 I was hired by the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail in Bowling Green, VA to serve as their correctional librarian. I had the opportunity to assist inmates with their research, which was oftentimes focused on business-related issues such as how to open a small business and obtain licenses. Unfortunately the economic situation force the jail to reduce their forces, and I was one of seven people who had to leave in April this year. However, I learned a lot during my time at this special library, and I consider it to be a valuable experience in many ways: I learned how to work with diverse population groups, how to perfect my reference interviews and how communicate difficult information in a way laymen can understand. I believe that this knowledge will serve me well when working in other special libraries.

Currently I am one of two interns at the Business Research Division, Library of Congress. Under the supervision of Carolyn Larson, Head of the Business Reference Section, and Ellen Terrell, Business Reference Specialist, I work on questions from the public and different government departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency, and conduct research for people that contact the library via mail or QuestionPoint. Each day I spend time at the reference desk and help patrons in the reading room to find appropriate business resources, navigate the library’s catalog and databases, and to learn about business research strategies. As my long-term project I am revising an online guide for entrepreneurs to small business information by updating, replacing, and annotating the sources that have been selected by business reference specialists about ten years ago. This guide will then again be available on the division’s website. In addition to this I attend meetings to learn how the division operate, and I meet with staff to hear about their various areas of expertise. This is of tremendous value to me as I learn about many new web and print resources.

I share what I experience and learn on by blog http://sharkcrazylibrarian.wordpress.com, and I post regular updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin. I was contacted by the co-editor of SLISten Up!, the newsletter of the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA) at USC, who asked me if I was interested to write an article for the newsletter once my internship is complete. The summer edition will contain my blog URL so students can follow my updates, and my final article will appear in the fall edition.

About a year ago I met Dr. Kendra Albright, and we have been in contact since. I enjoy her classes, and I find it extremely interesting to discuss issues of business librarianship with her. After my internship we plan to do some research together and eventually publish a paper on our findings. I find it rewarding to contribute to our profession by discussing and researching topics of interest as well as by serving as  member on  committees. I have been a member of the VLA Continuing Education Committee since 2009, and I have recently been appointed to the BRASS Membership Committee and the MARS Virtual Reference Discussion Group. I attend conferences, read professional literature and keep up with current events to ensure that I am always up-to-date. I recently submitted an article on library services in correctional settings to the Library Journal, describing my experience as a jail librarian. I love being engaged in discussions about my profession and never tire to advocate for our mission. In June 2010 I was selected as recipient for the 2010/2011 Chesterfield Manufacturing Corporation Scholarship. It makes me proud that my work was recognized as meaningful contribution to our profession.

A particular interest of mine in the field of business information services is the question of how librarians can deliver virtual reference and research services to users with business information needs. I am currently part of two projects that explore the possibilities of virtual services in Second Life. The University of South Carolina, under the direction of Dr. Feili Tu, has created the Davis 2.0 Virtual Campus to deliver reference services, research assistance, and to help students connect with each other and explore immersive, interactive learning.  I also work with Dr. Bryan Carter, Associate Professor at the University of Central Missouri, Dept. of English and Philosophy. He has created Virtual Harlem, one of the first virtual reality environments for use in the humanities. I have the opportunity to add to this internationally recognized project by developing a bookstore that will support Dr. Carter’s classes on the Harlem Renaissance period. Through one of the librarians at the university library, Carol Smith, I received the offer to speak about my project at the next gathering of the SLA Virtual World Advisory Council in August. I believe that virtual reference services are becoming increasingly important for librarians and users alike. I plan to return to Dr. Albright as a PhD student in the next five years, and we have already discussed the program and my research interests.

After I finish my internship with LoC in late August, I am assuming the position of part-time law librarian at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library. I have been chosen from a large pool of qualified candidates. Under the supervision of Michele Brown, Head of Reference, I will be responsible for delivering legal reference service to attorneys and the public, maintaining and developing the law collection as well as the collection of business-related items. I will also provide training on demand and introductions to legal research strategies. Ms. Brown, as well as Ann Haley, Adult Services Coordinator, feel that I will be a great asset to the library and their patrons, especially because I take a great interest in new technologies, social media, and a customer service oriented approach. Working part-time will give me the opportunity to still gather experience while focusing mainly on my studies. The DC/SLA 2010 Student Scholarship would be a tremendous help to cover some of my tuition. More importantly though it would be proof that I am on the right path to becoming a valuable member of the library community, and an outstanding information analyst.